Dining Etiquette

Maid of Honor Toasts

After a brief speech, the head attendant could propose the toast by saying, "To Rosemary and John-extraordinary individuals in their own right. May they enjoy happiness and prosperity their whole lives long," or "To Rosemary and John-may they always be as happy as they are today."

Our resting utensils etiquette section covers the rules (american and continental) for resting your utensils when taking a break from eating, when you are finished eating, and when you are passing food [...]

Menu Planning Guide

Invitation Etiquette

When do you send out invitations to a dinner party? How long should you give guests to respond? Want invitation formatting tips? Read more in our invitation etiquette section.

Wine Tasting Etiquette

Once it is poured into the proper glass, it’s time to evaluate and enjoy the wine. Evaluating wine involves four basic steps – looking, swirling, smelling, and tasting.

Step #1 – Look. Holding the wine glass up against a white background, such as a napkin or table cloth, to evaluate its color and clarity. Red wines should range in color from deep purple to brick red. White wines should range in color from lemon gold to golden amber.

Step #2 – Swirl. Swirl the wine in your glass to aerate it.

Step #3 – Smell. Put your nose in the glass and take a deep breath. Older wines should have subtler aromas than younger ones.

Step #4 – Taste. To taste the wine, fill your mouth about ½ full and subtly swish the wine around.